Continuous racetrack having turnaround portions

ABSTRACT

A continuous racing toy consisting of a trackway provided with a central portion terminating at each end thereof in turn-around portions for raising and reversing the direction of travel of the vehicles through 180*, each of the turn-around portions merging into downwardly extending portions terminating just above the central portion, each of the aforenoted portions being provided with a plurality of distinct paths within which racing vehicles are located, a propulsion unit located within one of the turnaround portions and consisting of a plurality of wheels provided with spokes for engaging and propelling the vehicles through the turn-around portion causing the vehicles to reverse their direction and gain momentum and upon leaving the downwardly extending portion drop onto the central track portion and run in the opposite direction, and counting mechanisms located within the paths found within the other turn-around portion for advising the user as to the number of laps completed by each of the vehicles.

United States Patent [191 Kojima CONTINUOUS RACETRACK HAVING TURNAROUNDPORTIONS [75] Inventor: Shizuka Kojima, Tokyo, Japan [73] Assignee: TomyKogyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo,

Japan [22] Filed: Feb. 5, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 439,733

[52] US. Cl. 273/86 C, 46/1 K, 46/202,

104/60, 273/DIG. 26 [51] Int. Cl. A63f 9/14 [58] Field of Search 46/1 K,202, 212, 43;

273/86 R, 86 C, 86 D; 104/60, 55, 56, 67

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,872,204 8/1932 Wily 104/631,909,505 5/1933 Rodman 273/86 D 3,411,783 11/1968 Montagna 104/553,542,366 11/1970 Schocker 104/55 3,622,158 11/1971 Tepper .1 273/86 D3,697,071 10/1972 Anderson 273/86 D 3,721,036 3/1973 Goldfarb 46/43 [451Jan. 14, 1975 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham AssistantExaminerMarvin Siskind' Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Staas & Halsey [57]ABSTRACT A continuous racing toy consisting of a trackway provided witha central portion terminating at each end thereof in turn-aroundportions for raising and reversing the direction of travel of thevehicles through 180, each of the turn-around portions merging intodownwardly extending portions terminating just above the centralportion, each of the aforenoted portions being provided with a pluralityof distinct paths within which racing vehicles are located, a propulsionunit located within one of the turn-around portions and consisting of aplurality of wheels provided with spokes for engaging and propelling thevehicles through the turn-around portion causing the vehicles to reversetheir direction and gain momentum and upon leaving the downwardlyextending portion drop onto the central track portion and run in theopposite direction, and counting mechanisms located within the pathsfound within the other turn-around portion for advising the user as tothe number of laps completed by each of the vehicles.

14 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJANWQYE' 3,860,238

SHEET 10F 5 PATENTEOJAN 1 M975 sum 3 or 5 PATENTED JAN 1 4l975 SHEET .5OF 5 CONTINUOUS RACETRACK HAVING TURNAROUNDPORTIONS BACKGROUND ANDSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to theclass of toys simulating the racing of automobiles and, moreparticularly, features a plurality of vehicles which continuously raceand from time to time change position relative to each other. Themechanism for powering the 1 vehicles is provided within one of twoturnaround sections provided in the trackway and consists of a pluralityof rotating wheels provided with spokes for the purpose of engaging andthereafter propelling each vehicle within its racing path through 180 tothereafter traverse the racing course in the opposite direction untilentering the other of the turn-around sections wherein the vehiclesagain reverse their direction through 180 while actuating a counterprovided with indicia for advising the children as to the number of lapscompleted by each vehicle. With the invention disclosed herein, acontinuous racing game is provided characterized by its simplicity inconstruction, low cost of manufacture and reliability during use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofthe continuous racing toy of the present invention illustrating at theleft hand side thereof the turn-around section within which thepropulsion mechanism is located and at the right hand side thereof theother turn-around section within which the counting mechanism islocated;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the continuous racing toy of the presentinvention illustrating in particular the distinct racing paths formedwithin the various sections of the trackway;

FIG. 3 is across-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2illustrating the internal working mechanism of the propulsion system;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2illustrating the construction of the counting mechanisms associated witheach of the racing paths;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of that turn-around section provided with apropulsion system with selected portions of the housing thereof removedso as to expose the construction and relationship of component parts,including in particular the individual wheels and spokes which areresponsible for engaging and propelling the vehicles through 180 toreverse their direction of travel while building up sufficient speed totraverse the remainder of the course;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of that turnaround sectionwithin which the propulsion system is located, illustrating inparticular the relationship between the spokes of the wheels and thevehicles during movement within the turn-around section, and also thehand-operated mechanism for stopping the movement of all vehicles, whendesired; and

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the other turn-around sectionwithin which the counting mechanisms are located illustrating inparticular a vehicle within one of the distinct paths actuating thecounting mechanism and also the subsequent wheel for temporarily slowingdown the movement of vehicles at random.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

The continuous racing toy of the present invention is designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1 and consists ofacentrally located trackway section 12 consisting of four distinct racingpaths l4, 14, 14' and 14", as illustrated in FIG. 2. At one end of theracing toy is located a first turn-around portion desig- 0 natedgenerally by the reference numeral 16 within which a propulsion unit islocated, as will be discussed in detail hereinafter. The referencenumeral 18 designates generally the other turn-around portion which isprovided with a counting mechanism, as will also be described in detailhereinafter.

As will be apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3, there is provided on one side ofthe turn-around section 16 a casing 20. Within the casing 20 are locateda source of electrical energy, for example, a battery 21, and aminiature electrical motor 22. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, a gear wheel 24is located at the end of the shaft of the motor 22 and meshes with anddrives a gear wheel 26 fixedly secured to a shaft 28 about which aplurality of wheels 30 are rigidly secured. Such miniature electricmotor and gear construction is conventional in the art and need not bedescribed further.

The wheels 30 are provided with a plurality of spokes 32, it being notedthat both the wheels andthe spokes be apparent, actuation of the motor22 by any conventional switch means causes the shaft 28 to rotate inturn causing all of the wheels 30 to rotate.

It will be further noted from FIG. 5 that the turnaround portion 16 isprovided at the bottom thereof with a section of trackway 33 formed witha plurality of racing areas 34, 34', 34" and 34" corresponding to thepreviously described racing areas 14, 14', 14" and 14" illustrated inFIG. 2 and which are formed within the central section 12. As will befurther apparent from FIG. 5, the turn-around section 16 is provided atthe top thereof with a section of trackway 36 provided with apluralityof distinct racing paths 38, 38, 38", and 38" corresponding tothe racing paths 1,4 and 34 which have been previously described.

Turning now to FIG. 6, it willbe noted that mounted within the bottomsection of trackway 33 of the turnaround section 16, as illustrated inFIG. 6, is a pivotably supported gate generally designated by thereference numeral 40 which consists of a plate 42 appropriately mountedfor rotation and having at one end thereof a plurality of flanges 44which are free to move upwardly and downwardly through openings 46formed within each of the paths 14, 14', 14", 14", as illustrated inFIG. 2. The other end of the plate 42 is providedwith an operatinghandle 48 which when moved to one side causes the flanges 44 to protrudeupwardly blocking each of the racing paths l4, 14', 14'' and 14". Inlike manner, as the handle 48 is rotated to the left, the plate 42rotates moving the flanges 44 below the openings 46 thus leaving thepaths of the trackway unobstructed.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 7, the other turn-around portion 18 isprovided with a shaft 50 upon which four cylinders 52 are looselymounted for independent rotation. Each of the cylinders 52 is providedwith indicia 0123456789 along the periphery thereof, and upstandingteeth 54 corresponding to each of the indicia. As can be seen best inFIG. 7, as each of the drums 52 rotates, one of the teeth 54corresponding to one of the indicia protrudes upwardly into the path oftravel of the vehicle 56.

The turn-around portion 18 is provided at the bottom thereof with asection of trackway 58 formed with a plurality of racing areas 60, 60,60" and 60", as seen in FIG. 4, corresponding to the previouslydescribed racing areas 14, 34 and 38. As will be further apparent fromFIG. 7, the turn-around section 18 is provided at the top thereof with asection of trackway 62 provided with a plurality of distinct racingpaths 64, 64', 64" and 64 corresponding to the racing paths 14, 34 and38 and 60 as previously described.

As will now be apparent, and with reference to FIG. 7, as the vehicles56 have completed their 180 turns in the turn-around section 18 andbegin to move downwardly at the very end of their respective paths 60each vehicle 56 eventually engages and moves the projecting tooth 54 ofits corresponding cylinder 52 thus rotating the cylinder 52 and exposingthe next indicia. A flexible spring 66 and a rigid spring 68 arepositioned as illustrated in FIG. 7 adjacent a smaller series of teeth70 formed in each cylinder 52 and corresponding to the larger teeth 54.Thus, the cylinders 52 are limited in their rotation to movement betweenadjacent teeth 54.

Located immediately below the cylinders 52 are a plurality of discs 72,each fixedly secured to a shaft 74 and provided with a pair of teeth 76.Importantly, the teeth 76 of one disc 72 are staggered from the teeth ofan adjacent disc 72, as partially illustrated in FIG. 4. Thus, as thevehicle 56 corresponding to the raised tooth 76 contacts same, thevehicle 56 is temporarily slowed down while causing the shaft 74 torotate, in turn raising the tooth 76 of another disc 72 to slow movementof the adjacent vehicle 56, it being understood that the foregoing isall accomplished in random manner.

It is now apparent that each of the vehicles 56 must be configured thesame on top and bottom, and it is contemplated that the small figurineof a driver be located on the top and bottom as illustrated in FIG. 2.

As will now be apparent, by rotating the handle 48 to the right, each ofthe fourvehicles 56 may be aligned for starting. The motor 22 is thenturned on and the vehicles 56 released. The vehicles 56 roll gently downthe trackway section 33 until becoming lodged between the adjacentspokes 32 of the rotating wheels 30. The vehicles are rapidlyaccelerated through 180 within the turn-around section 16 thereaftermoving down the section of trackway 36 eventually falling into thecorresponding path of the central trackway section 12. The vehicles thenenter the turn-around section 18 and under their own momentum enter andpass through the other turn-around section 18. The vehicles 56 then passdownwardly through the counter mechanisms and random deceleratingdevices 52 and 72, respectively, thereafter landing on theircorresponding paths within the central segment 12 but in the oppositedirection. In case of accidental lodging of vehicles in the turnaroundsection 16, it is only necessary to rotate knob 80, as illustrated inFIG. 4, which results in rotating shafts 28 freeing the stuck vehiclefrom the turnaround section.

I claim:

I. A continuous racing'toy, comprising:

a trackway provided with a central portion, turnaround portions at eachend of said central portion,

around portions, each wheel having a plurality of spokes extendingradially outward therefrom and into its associated path so as to engagethe vehicle in said path and propel same through said path of saidturn-around portion, and means rotating said wheels.

2. A continuous racing toy as in claiml, wherein each of saidturn-around portions of said trackway is generally semi-circular so asto reverse the path 'oftravel of saidvehicles through approximately 3. Acontinuous racing toy as in claim 2, wherein saidend portions terminateabove said central portion by a distance exceeding the height of saidvehicles whereby said vehicles are permitted to travel alongsaid'central portion in one direction into said turn-around portions andafter leaving said turn-around portions drop from said end portions ontosaid central portion to travel in the opposite direction.

4. A continuous racing toy as in claim 1, wherein said paths of saidcentral portion, turn-around portions and end portions comprisecontinuous surfaces located between opposed side walls.

5. A continuous racing toy as in claim 1, wherein said turn-aroundportion within which said propulsion unit is located includes at thebeginning thereof a downwardly sloping surface within which said pathsare located, and means associated with each path in said downwardlysloping surface for blocking said path, as. desired.

6. A continuous racing toy as in claim 1, including a counting mechanismassociated with each path within said other turn-around portion forcounting the number of times a vehicle passes through each saidpath.

7. A continuous racing toy as in claim 6, wherein said countingmechanism associated with each of said paths is provided with indiciavisible to the'user designating the number of times a vehicle hastraversed each sai path therein.

8 A continuous racing toy as in claim 6, wherein said counting mechanismcomprises a wheel operatively mounted for rotation within each of saidpaths within said other of said turn-around portions, each wheel beingprovided with a plurality of spokes arranged to extend within said pathsuch that as said vehicle passes therethrough it engages and moves oneof said spokes causing said wheel to rotate, and indicia on said wheelcorresponding to said spokes and visible to the user.

9. A continuous racing toy as in claim 6, including means fortemporarily slowing down at random the movement of said vehicles leavingthe other of said turn-around portions.

10. A continuous racing toy as in claim 9., wherein said means fortemporarily slowing down said vehicles comprises a wheel operativelymounted for rotation within each of said paths within the other of saidturnsaid front and rear wheels.

13. A continuous racing toy as in claim 1, wherein I said wheels andspokes are made of soft vinyl.

14. A continuous racing toy as in claim l, wherein said central portionof said trackway slopes downwardly toward said turn-around portionwithin which said propulsion unit is located.

1. A continuous racing toy, comprising: a trackway provided with acentral portion, turn-around portions at each end of said centralportion, each of said turn-around portions terminating upwardly fromsaid central portion, and end portions at the ends of said turn-aroundportions exteNding downwardly and terminating inwardly of saidturn-around portions at positions above said central portion, saidcentral portion, turn-around portions and end portions being providedwith a plurality of distinct, continuous paths; racing vehicles providedwithin said paths; and a propulsion unit within one of said turn-aroundportions consisting of wheels mounted for rotation within said pathswithin said one of said turn-around portions, each wheel having aplurality of spokes extending radially outward therefrom and into itsassociated path so as to engage the vehicle in said path and propel samethrough said path of said turn-around portion, and means rotating saidwheels.
 2. A continuous racing toy as in claim 1, wherein each of saidturn-around portions of said trackway is generally semi-circular so asto reverse the path of travel of said vehicles through approximately180*.
 3. A continuous racing toy as in claim 2, wherein said endportions terminate above said central portion by a distance exceedingthe height of said vehicles whereby said vehicles are permitted totravel along said central portion in one direction into said turn-aroundportions and after leaving said turn-around portions drop from said endportions onto said central portion to travel in the opposite direction.4. A continuous racing toy as in claim 1, wherein said paths of saidcentral portion, turn-around portions and end portions comprisecontinuous surfaces located between opposed side walls.
 5. A continuousracing toy as in claim 1, wherein said turn-around portion within whichsaid propulsion unit is located includes at the beginning thereof adownwardly sloping surface within which said paths are located, andmeans associated with each path in said downwardly sloping surface forblocking said path, as desired.
 6. A continuous racing toy as in claim1, including a counting mechanism associated with each path within saidother turn-around portion for counting the number of times a vehiclepasses through each said path.
 7. A continuous racing toy as in claim 6,wherein said counting mechanism associated with each of said paths isprovided with indicia visible to the user designating the number oftimes a vehicle has traversed each said path therein.
 8. A continuousracing toy as in claim 6, wherein said counting mechanism comprises awheel operatively mounted for rotation within each of said paths withinsaid other of said turn-around portions, each wheel being provided witha plurality of spokes arranged to extend within said path such that assaid vehicle passes therethrough it engages and moves one of said spokescausing said wheel to rotate, and indicia on said wheel corresponding tosaid spokes and visible to the user.
 9. A continuous racing toy as inclaim 6, including means for temporarily slowing down at random themovement of said vehicles leaving the other of said turn-aroundportions.
 10. A continuous racing toy as in claim 9, wherein said meansfor temporarily slowing down said vehicles comprises a wheel operativelymounted for rotation within each of said paths within the other of saidturn-around sections, each of said wheels being mounted to move inunison and provided with staggered teeth projecting into said pathstherein.
 11. A continuous racing toy as in claim 1, wherein saidvehicles each comprise a chassis configured as a racing car on each sideand front and rear movable wheels secured thereto.
 12. A continuousracing toy as in claim 11, wherein said spokes of said wheels engagesaid vehicle between said front and rear wheels.
 13. A continuous racingtoy as in claim 1, wherein said wheels and spokes are made of softvinyl.
 14. A continuous racing toy as in claim 1, wherein said centralportion of said trackway slopes downwardly toward said turn-aroundportion within which said propulsion unit is located.